Picture frame



sept.30,1947. R,J;PROST Q .2,428,242

Y PICTURE yFRAME Filed Jan. 24, 1944 sfsheets-sh'eet 1 Sept. 30, 1947.R, J, FROST 2,428,242

v PICTURE FRAME I Filed Jan. 24, 1944 f 5 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Sept.30, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PICTURE FRAME Raymond J. Prost,Chicago, Ill.

Application January 24, 1944, Serial No. 519,454

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to picture frames forme of inexpensive materialsand has for its object the production of a picture frame made of paperboard, paper, leatherette, and similar inexpensive materials.

One of the objects of the invention is to produce a picture frame whichmay be made simply of a few pieces of paper board and a fabric Wrap orcovering which will have a finished appearance and produce the illusionof expensive tooled work upon the finished frame.

Another object of the invention is to permit the manufacture ofphotograph frames from very few part-s which are so formed and relatedthat the illusion of bevel and tooled work can be produced merely by theassembly of the parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a photograph frame madefrom parts that are so cut as to be relatively located and assembledinto proper relationship by inexperienced help.

Another object of the invention is to produce a photograph frame inwhich the paper board frame members are so cut that when covered withfabric wrap an ornamental embossed effect can be produced upon theframe.

Still another object of the invention is to employ doubled-over paperboard for parts of the frame so that when adhesive is applied anytendency of the board to warp in any direction is counteracted by theadjacent doubled-over portion of the same board.

Other features and advantages will appear from the specification anddrawing, in Which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an assembledphotograph frame embodying my invention, in which theparts are sorelated as to produce the appearance of a beveled border on the interiormargin of the frame;

Fig, 2 is a Plan view of the scored and cut-out framing board by whichthe frame shown in Fig. l is produced;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the scored board shown in Fig. 2, folded intofinal shape and overlying the wrapping fabric employed to produce theframe shown in Fig. 1, the view being taken from the back of the framingboard and wrapping fabric;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section of the frame shown in Fig. 1, taken onthe line 4--4 thereof;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section of the frame shown in Fig. 1, taken onthe line 5 5 thereof;

Fig. 6 is a modified form of photograph frame with the bevel produced onthe exterior margin.

of the photograph frame;

2 Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the respective parts `of the frame shownin Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 7, laid in overlyingrelation preparatory to assembly thereof;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section of the frame shown in Fig. 6; taken onthe line S-S thereof;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section of the frame shown in Fig. 6, taken onthe line Ill-i6 thereof;

Fig. 11 is a View of an embossed frame embodying this invention;

Fig. 12 shows the framing board used in the frame shown in Fig. 1l; and

Fig. 13 is a sectional vview of the photograph frame of my invention ina simplified form which obviates the need for a slot opening to insertthe photograph.

Referring to the drawings, an assembled Dhotograph frame exemplifyingone form of my invention is shown in Fig. l in which the frame is shownwithout the photograph which it is designed to frame and expose. Thenumeral. II refers to the backing board which forms thebacking of theframe and shows a fiat rectangular sheet of paper board, not shownseparately in the drawing, In the event that a heavier or more rigidframe is required the material from which the backing board and otherparts of the frame are made may be modified accordingly.

The frame is shown surrounding the sight opening I2. The framing portionof the frame proper is composed of a framing board I3 covered with afabric covering or wrap Ill. This wrap may be made of paper or otherfabric preferably treated to simulate leather. For variety of designother materials which can be handled like paper and other fabrics may beemployed such as leatherette, imitation leather, cloth, flexible plasticsheeting, foil, etc. One edge of the photograph frame is formed so as toprovide a slot I5 for the insertion of the photograph.

The frame illustrated in Fig. 1 may be pressed or run through asoft-rolled wringer to produce the effect of a step rather than a bevel,thereby forming an embossed, raised border rather than a beveled edge.

Referring to the framing board shown in Fig. 2, the sight opening is cutfrom the interior of the board and may be of the size and proportiondesired. The framing board is formed in a single sheet which is largerthan the final frame and is scored along the scoring line I5 and cutaway at the corners I1 to permit the framing board to be folded over toproduce a double thickness in portions thereof. It is to be noted thatthe margins I8 are narrower than the framing panels I9 so that when theframing board is folded over, as shown in Fig. 3, the framing board isdoubled where the margins I8 overlie the framing panels |9, but is ofonly single thickness at the inner edges.

The framing board is laid upon the die-cut wrap Ill with the margins I8against the wrap and the wrap is then folded over in the mannerindicated in the sectional views, Figs. 4 and 5, and secured byappropriate adhesives.

In order to effect this assembly glue is applied to the inner face ofthe entire Wrap I4. The framing board I3 with the outer margins I8 bentinwardly and folded fiat against the framing panels I9, is laid downupon the glue-covered wrap I4 with the margins I8 against the adhesive.The inner margins 2|) of the wrap are then folded outwardly to overliethe framing board I3 and because of the generous marginal portions partof the inner margins will adhere to the outer margins 2 I. Thereupon oneof the outer margins 2| is folded back over a single panel of theframing board to provide the opening I5 at one edge of the frame. Thebacking board I I is then laid upon the framing board I3, its outeredges being congruent with the outer edges of the framing board.Thereupon the remaining three outer margins 2| are brought over the edgeof the backing board II and pressed do-wn against the backing board sothat the adhesive secures these margins to the backing board andcompletes the frame.

The slight surplus material at the corners is disposed of by suitablefolds along the lines indicated in Fig. 3 by the numeral 3l. Thematerial yields itself readily to tucking and no scoring of thesecorners is necessary for that purpose.

It will be noted that the wrap I4 has abundant inner margins 2B, whichare broader than the framing board so that they will overlap andpartially overlie the outer margins 2|, thus eecting a double thicknessof wrap along the outer edges of the frame. When the wrap is refoldedover the backing board this double thickness covers a large portion ofthe edges of the backing board I I with a double thickness of wrapreinforcing the frame construction.

This reinforcement by means of the die-cut wrap is especially importantin frames designed to have the photograph covered by a sheet of glass,which is disproportionately heavy in a frame of this construction. Whileno glass is shown in any of the drawings, it is manifest that a sheet ofglass, celluloid or other transparent material may be used to cover thephotograph 22 and protect it against soilingl The use of a wrap of thistype not only permits reinforcement at the edges of the frame wherestrength is needed, but also permits the use of a thinner wrap withoutany sacrifice of necessary strength.

To provide the slot opening I5, which may be made in either of the edgesor the top or bottom of the frame, it is, of course, necessary that thewrap be merely wrapped about the framing board panel at that edge asVdistinguished from the other edges where the wrap completely coversboth sides of the framing board and runs over the edge of the framingboard and the edge of the backing board II and is secured to the rear ofthe backing board.

In the modified form of my invention shown in Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive,the parts are largely similar to those shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive,

with the difference that the framing board ||3 is so cut as to permit abevel to be produced at the outer edge of the frame.

This beveled effect is produced by using a backing board |II, which isslightly larger in its outer dimensions than the outer dimensions of theframing board II3 when folded along the scored lines IIS. The framingboard II3 is cut, as shown in Fig. 7, with the outer margins 8 designedto be folded between the framing panels Il 9 and the backing board I II. This gives a substantial thickness to the framing panels IIS andpermits the use of lighter board than is possible where undoubled framemembers are used, inasmuch as a large part of the board used in themanufacture of frames is wasted by reason of the trim and sight openingcuts. The use of a lighter board so out as to permit portions thereof tobe doubled to give the effect of thickness, substantially reduces thewaste by reason of the fact that the cut-away portions are of extremelylight board.

.As shown in Fig. 8', the framing board is laid upon the wrap I| 4 withthe marginal portions 8 folded over the framing panels IIS. In contrastwith the operation shown in Fig. 3, the margins I I8 are now toward theback of the assembled frame and against the backing board III.

Because the backing board I is slightly larger in its outside dimensionsthan the folded-over framing board II3, when the wrap II4 is applied asshown in Fig. 8 and folded over, the wrap can be pressed down snugly atthe edges of the frame to produce the beveled effect shown in Figs. 9and 10.

The wrap H4, like the Wrap I4 in the first embodiment of the inventiondiscussed herein, is provided with ample interior margins |20 so thatthe wrap is doubled at the edges of the frame to produce reinforcementand to permit the use of a lighter stock.

To assemble the finished frame shown in Fig. 6, the wrap H4 is laid facedown upon the table andV its back covered entirely with adhesive.Thereupon the framing board H3 with its outer margins I I8 doubled overagainst its back is laid upon the adhesive-spread wrapper with the outermargins IIB of the framing board out of Contact with the wrapper. Thedummy strip |23 with one face covered with adhesive is then laid uponone panel of the framing board II3 and pressed to it to secure the twotogether. The dummy strip |23 is slightly wider than the framing boardand, therefore, projects beyond the outer margin of the framing board.Thereupon the inner margins |20 of the wrap I I4 are brought over thefolded-over framing board and the dummy strip |23 and, because of theiradhesive, will adhere to the framing board and actually overlie portionsof the outer margins I2|. Thereupon the outer margin I2I lying beyondthe dummy strip is folded inwardly and, because of its adhesive, willadhere to the dummy strip |23.

The backing board III, which is greater in its outer dimensions than theframing board I I3, is then laid upon the backing board and over theoutwardly folded inner margins |20 and the three remaining outer marginsI2| thereupon foldedY inwardly to secure the frame together.

To provide an even margin all about the frame it is necessary that oneedge of the backing board overlies the edge of the dummy strip I 23 andthe other edges project a uniform distance beyond all of the edges ofthe framing board H3. To provide for the surplus material about thecorners of the backing board this may be tucked in along the dottedlines I 3 I.

Both in this form of my invention and in the form previously discussed,it is apparent that by doubling-over the framing board H3, any tendencyof the paper board to curl or warp when adhesive is applied iscounteracted by the opposite tendency of the adjacent doubled-overportion of the framing board.

Because of the necessity of providing an opening in one edge, which maybe either the top, bottom, or one of the side edges of the frame, forthe insertion of a photograph and cover of glass or transparent plate ifthat is desired, it is necessary to modify the construction at one edgeof the frame in order that the wrap does' not close that edge. This isdone by the use of a dummy strip |23, shown in Figs. 8 and 9, whichtakes the place of the backing board as a base for the bevel |24produced by pressing the wrap down on the edge of the frame.

When the wrap is folded, as indicated in Fig. 9, the opening II5 is leftbetween the backing board and the wrap which covers the dummy strip |23andthe framing board I I3.

In the third embodiment of my invention, shown in Figs. 11 and 12 of theaccompanying drawings, I have employed in addition to the conventionalbacking board 2| I, a framing board 2|3 of novel design. This framingboard, as shown in Fig. 12, is composed of the main framing panels 2|9,the outer margins 2|8 and the inner margins 225 with the scoring 2|6 and226 between the outer margins and the framing panels, and the innermargins and the framing panel respectively.

This framing board is superimposed over a bacldng board which is thesame size as the rectangle dened by the outer scoring ZIB, and the wrapis then applied in the same manner as heretofore described for theembodiment shown in Figs, 1 to 5 inclusive. The margins 2|8 and 225 areso proportioned that when folded over the framing panels 2l9 they do notmeet but leave a slight gap 221 between them, and when the wrap ispressed down upon the framing board to which it is applied by adhesivecovering the entire interior surface of the Wrap, the gap outlined bythe space between the outer margins 2|8 and the inner margins 225 willproduce an impression in the wrap which will simulate tooling. A highlyornamental effect is thus produced Without any separate operations andmerely by the die cutting of the framing board.

Obviously, the ornamental effect `produced in this manner can be variedwithin a wide range of gures and by cutting away portions of the marginsof the framing board and modifying the configuration of the edgesthereof an interesting variety of decorations can be effected. Toprovide the slit 2I5 in one edge of the frame shown in Fig. 11 it isonly necessary for the procedure of assembling the frame heretoforedescribed for the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, to befollowed.

In Fig. 13 I have shown a slight alteration in the construction of thephotograph frame which eliminates the need for the slot opening for theinsertion of the photograph. In the sectional view the constructionfollows substantially that employed in the other embodiments of myinvention except that the backing board SII is slit near one edgethereof by a slit 328 parallel to the edge thereof, which extendssubstantially from one of the adjacent edges to the other opposed edge,to enable the photograph to be inserted through the bottom of the frame.

The use of the slit 328 in the backing board eliminates the need forproviding any slot in the edge of the frame and the frame, of which afragment is shown in Fig. 13, is assembled in substantially the samemanner as that shown in Fig, 1 except that all four edges of the frameare treated in the same way and the outer margins of the wrap are allfolded over the back of the frame after the backing board has beenapplied to the frame so thatall four edges are sealed and reinforced bythe wrap shown in Fig. 13.

I have not attempted, in this specification, to outline the elementarysteps of assembling the various parts of the frames, as these arefamiliar to those skilled in the art. To produce the proper beveled andembossed effects which I have described, the wrap may either be pressedor drawn down at the respective places where these effects are desiredor the completed frame may be run through a wringer composed of one softroller and one hard roller so that the soft roller may effect thenecessary yielding pressure at the places where the wrap is to beslightly deformed.

While there are shown and described certain embodiments of theinvention, it is to be understood that it is capable of manymodifications in form, dimensions and materials. Changes, therefore, inthe construction and arrangement may be made Without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims,in which it is intended to claim all novelty inherent in the inventionas broadly as permissible, in View of the prior art.

Although I have used the word photograph and the word picture in thisspecification, it is obviousthat the terms are used in their broadestgeneral sense and that the frame may be used .to expose a photograph, apicture, fabric, or

any other flat article which is customarily displayed in a frame of thistype.

I claim:

1. A photograph frame comprising a backing board, a framing board havinga sight opening therein to expose a photograph therethrough, saidframing board overlying a portion of the backing board, and a wrapincluding a face portion for covering the face of the framing board, aninner portion for covering the edges of the sight opening of the framingboard and lapping the back of the framing board, and an outer portioncovering three outer edges of the framing board and the backing boardand lapping the back of the backing board for securing the backing boardand the framing board together, the outer portion also covering thefourth outer edge of the framing board and lapping the back thereof toprovide an edge opening between the backing board and the framing boardto receive the photograph.

2. A photograph frame comprising a backing board, a framing board havinga sight opening therein to expose a photograph therethrough, saidframing board overlying a portion of the backing board, a Wrap extendingabout both sides and all of the edges of the framing board and over theedges of the backing board to secure the framing board to the backingboard, and a slot in the backing board near one edge thereof to permitthe insertion of a photograph between the backing board and the framingboard.

3. A photograph frame comprising a backing board, a framing board havinga sight opening therein to expose a photograph therethrough, saidframing board overlying a portion of the backing board, the :framingboard being formed of a board with the margins thereof doubled over toform a double thickness of part ofV said framing board and to leave amargin of single thickness, and a Wrap including a face portion forcovering the face of the framing board, an inner portion for coveringthe edges of the sight opening oi' the framing board and lapping theback of the framing board, and an outer *portion covering three outeredges of the framing board and the backing board and lapping the back ofthe backing board for securing the backing board and the framing boardtogether, the outer portion also covering the fourth outer edge of theframing board and lapping the back thereof to provide an edge openingbetween the backing board and the framing board to receive thephotograph, saidwrap being pressed down against said backing Iboard toform a border thereon.

4.. A photograph frame comprising a backing board, a framing boardhaving a sight opening therein to expose a photograph therethrough, saidframing board overlying a portion of the backing board, the framingboard being formed of a single sheet of board scored to form framingpanels and narrower marginal portions surrounding said framing panels,said marginal portions being doubled over to render portions of saidframing board of double thickness, and a Wrap including a face portionfor covering the face of the framing board, an inner portion forcovering the edges of the sight opening of the framing board and lappingthe back of the framing board, and an outer portion covering three outeredges of the framing board and the backing board and lapping the back ofthe backing board for securing the backing board and the framing boardtogether, the outer portion also covering the fourth outer edge of theframing board and lapping the back thereof to provide an edge openingbetween the backing board and the framing board to receive thephotograph, said wrap being pressed down at the edges of said marginalportions to produce a border Where said framing panels extend beyondsaid marginal portions.

5. A photograph frame comprising a framing board having a sight openingtherein to expose a photograph therethrough, a backing board havingmarginal portions extending beyond said framing board, a wrap extendingabout both sides and al1 of the edges oi the framing board and over allbut one edge of the backing board to secure the framing board to thebacking board, and a dummy strip between said framing board and saidbacking board along one edge thereof held to the framing board by saidWrap, said wrap being pressed down to form a bevel between the outeredges of the framing board and the outer edges of the backing board anddummy strip.

ing board, said framing board being formed of a board cut and scored toform framing panels having narrower marginal portions extending beyondsaid framing panels on each side thereof, said marginal portions `havingcomplementary vouter edges so out that said marginal portions may befolded over upon said framing panels Without overlapping, and a Wrapextending about said framing board and over the edges of the backingboard to secure the framing board thereto and pressed down at thejuncture of the edges of the marginal portions of the framing boardbeneath the plane of the upper surface oi the Wrap covering saidmarginal portions.

7. A photograph frame comprising a backing board, a framing board havinga sight opening therein to expose a photograph therethrough, saidframing board overlying a portion of the backing board, and a Wrap cutto overlie said framing board and having outer margins extending beyondsaid framing board and substantially Wider inner margins extendingbeyond said framing board so that said inner margins may be folded oversaid framing board and a portion of said outer margins, and the doublewrap thus formed folded over the edges of the backing board to securethe framing board thereto.

8. A photographic frame comprising a backing board, a framing boardhaving a sight opening therein to expose a photograph therethrough, saidframing board overlying a portion of the backing board, and a wrapincluding a face portion for covering the face of the framing board, aninner portion for covering the edges of the sight opening of the framingboard and lapping the back of the framing board, and an outer portioncovering the outer edges of the framing board and the backing 4board andlapping the back of the backing board for securing the backing` boardand the framing board together.

RAYIi/[OND J. FROST.

REFERENCES CITED T he following references are of record in the iile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

